Modal verbs

S + Modal verbs + V (bare – infinitive)

(bare – infinitive: not “to”)

Ex 1: They can play the piano.

Ex 2: She can speak many languages. (Not: She cans speak many languages.)

Ex 3: He can ride a bike.

Ex 4: He could ride a bike when he was eight.

Ex 5: We cannot sing as beautifully as John.

Use: Will have to                                   Not use: Will must

Use: Will able to                                     Not use: Will can

Ex 1: I will have to have my eyes checked next Monday.

1. CAN – COULD

CAN (be able to V)

Ex 1: Can you play volleyball?

Ex 2: We can stay in a hotel when we are in Paris next week.

Ex 3: All of you can’t go out after 11 p.m. You can leave early today.

Ex 4: Can it be practical?

Ex 5: It exactly can’t be Peter!

Ex 6: Look! I think I can see my son dancing.

COULD

Ex 1: This baby could read books when he was only four years old.

Ex 2: If you studied hard, you could pass the exam.

Ex 3: Can you give me a hand?

Ex 4: Excuse me! Could you show me the way to the post office?

Ex 5: This machine could be good, but I think I will check it again.

Ex 6: I could solve these problems right now, but I’d rather do them tomorrow.

2. COULD – WAS/WERE ABLE TO

Ex 1: I was sick, and I couldn’t go to school yesterday.

Ex 2: He got up late, so he could go to the interview on time.

Ex 3: I worked harder so I was able to get higher salary.

3. MAY – MIGHT

Ex 1: May I come in?

Ex 2: Mary asked her father whether she might go to the cinema.

Ex 3: It may be very cold.

Ex 4: They thought that this result might be true.

Ex 5: May your trip be wonderful!

Ex 6: I hope our plan may be successful.

Ex 7: All of us trust that he might do it.

Ex 8: He may not have good qualification, but he is hard. (Though he doesn’t have good qualification, he is hard)

Ex 9: Try as she might, she could not finish her task on time. (Though she tried hard, she could not finish her task on time.)

Ex 10: Linh practiced English as much as possible so that she might study abroad.

Ex 11: You might focus on your exercise when I am correcting it.

4. MUST

Ex 1: This sign says “No left turn” so You must turn right or go straight ahead.

Ex 2: You mustn’t smoke here.

MUST (not use) NEED NOT (use)

Ex 1: Must I go to the market to buy sugar now? – No, you needn’t. There is some left.

MUST and HAVE TO

HAVE TO used instead of MUST

Ex 1: We shall have to catch a taxi if we miss the last bus.

HAVE TO not used instead of MUST

Ex 1: He has been out for an hour, so he must be cold.

MUST and HAVE TO

Ex 1: In Japan, guest have to leave their shoes at the door.

Ex 2: You must do all the work I give you.

4. SHALL – SHOULD

SHALL

Ex 1: I shall come to the party tonight.

Ex 2: If you don’t play truant, I shall give a toy.

Ex 3: If you don’t leave, I shall call the police.

Ex 4: I shall to save more money to buy a house.

SHOULD

Ex 1: You should get up early to do morning exercise.

Ex 2: Children shouldn’t spend much time on playing computer games.

Ex 3: All the students should fill in the form by Tuesday.

5. WILL – WOULD

WILL

Ex 1: I will pay you the salary you want.

Ex 2: I will win.

Ex 3: I won’t forget your birthday. I will come.

Ex 4: Will I use your computer for a while?

WOULD

Ex 1: He promised he would visit me but he didn’t.

Ex 2: If I were you, I would buy the dictionary.

Ex 3: After school he would play football.

6. OUGHT TO – DARE – NEED

OUGHT TO

Ex 1: He ought to (should) drive slowly.

Ex 2: If you read book carefully, you ought to understand it deeply.

Ex 3: Our class ought to join in this club next month.

Trong tháng tới lớp tôi sẽ tham gia câu lạc bộ này.

OUGHT NOT TO HAVE + past participle

Ex 1: You ought not to have decided like this.

DARE

Ex 1: Dare you go and do it?

Ex 2: You daren’t to jump, dare you?

Ex 3: He doesn’t dare to quit the job.

I dare say  = perhaps = it is proble

Ex 1: He is not here yet, but I dare say he will come later.

NEED

Ex 1: Need you buy a table?

Ex 2: He needn’t eat more, need he?

Ex 3: We hardly need to say how wonderful the holiday was.

7. USED TO

Ex 1: You used to work as a teacher, usedn’t you?

Ex 2: He didn’t use to live in the city for a long time.

Ex 3: Did you fly a kite when you were a child?

Ex 4: He never used to drink beer.

Ex 5: These girls used to skip rope at recess.

Ex 6: We was close friend.

          We used to be close friend.

USED TO V

(be) USED TO V + ing
(get) USED TO V + ing

Ex 1: He used to work hard on the farm (but now he doesn’t)

Ex 1: It took Hoa a lot of time to get used to living in the city. Now she is used to it.

Source: @MRS.TRANG IELTS